How to Side-load Android Apps on BlackBerry 10 via Mac OS X

Side-loading Android and other apps onto BlackBerry 10 and the PlayBook has been fairly easy on a Mac. Although, there wasn’t a simple program like Windows users had enjoyed, until now. (see how to side-load Android apps on Windows here)

In this tutorial you will see how to side-load apps onto BlackBerry 10 using an automator script made by Darryl Kraemer, which simplifies the entire process.

[highlight style=’pear-green’] Step 1 [/highlight]

Have the latest Java Runtime Environment installed. It can be downloaded here.

[highlight style=’pear-green’] Step 2 [/highlight]

Unzip Playbook_Tools.zip into your /user/ folder. The files have been rearranged from in the original Playbook_Tools folder already, which takes away a needless step.

Open the Playbook_Tools folder and find file PB-Installer.bat and open in a text editor. Here you’ll see a pre-filled IP address and password. Change these to whatever you will set your BlackBerry 10 device to in development mode. Command + S to quickly save the changes to the file.

[highlight style=’misty-rose’] Important: [/highlight] The Playbook_Tools folder is also where you will want to move all of the Android and other app .BAR files to. You cannot side-load an Android .apk file. It must be converted and signed as a .BAR file. You can do this for free and quickly by visiting http://apk2bar.unker.net/

[highlight style=’pear-green’] Step 3 [/highlight]

On your BlackBerry 10 device, open the device settings. Then proceed to Security and Privacy.

Click on Development Mode at the bottom.

Here you can leave the IP address as is, or change it to whatever you’d like. You’ll want to make sure to switch the on/off toggle to ‘on’. This will prompt you to enter a password.

This IP address and password is what you need to enter into the aforementioned PB-Installer.bat file found in the Playbook_Tools folder.

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[highlight style=’pear-green’] Step 4 [/highlight]

Unzip and install the ‘BB10 Sideload Android App’. This is the automator script, which will make installing the Android or other app .BAR file(s) very easy. Otherwise, you would have to open Terminal and entire a script, but that’s just a hassle.

[highlight style=’pear-green’] Step 5 [/highlight]

Plug your BlackBerry 10 device into your Mac. You may be prompted to enter the password you set in the development mode screen. Now, find where you installed ‘BB10 Sideload Android App’ program and open it.

Enter the IP address you set on the BlackBerry 10 development mode screen.

Enter the password you set when turning on development mode.

You should by now have moved all of your desired app .BAR files to the Playbook_Tools folder. If so, then go ahead and enter the title for one of them you’d like to install. You can only enter one app at a time.

The automator script will automagically open Terminal and run the script you would have otherwise had to enter manually. You’ll see the app begin to get installed. Pretty nifty, thanks Darryl Kraemer!

Once the app was successfully installed, it will ask if you’d like to install another. If yes, just enter the next app name like before.

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Double check it was a success by seeing if in Terminal it says ‘result:success’ and the desired app shows up on your BlackBerry 10 device. Upon following these steps you will be able to successfully side-load Android and other apps onto BlackBerry 10. Happy side-loading!

[highlight style=’default’] Pro tip: [/highlight] If you’re a bit confused on the whole automator script thingy, watch the following tutorial video the creator of it put together: